


Camping with the Astin-Woods, Day Two

by Keye



Category: Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-24
Updated: 2010-01-24
Packaged: 2017-10-06 15:45:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/55263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keye/pseuds/Keye





	Camping with the Astin-Woods, Day Two

Sean was jolted awake by a haunting screech. Some animal, he assured himself, though his heart went on thumping for a while. There was a grayness of beginning dawn and the woods glistened in the twilight through the tent's open windows. The birds were already singing. Elijah was still asleep, wrapped around him, safe in his arms. Life was good.

It had rained again during the night, hard enough for some of it to get through and collect on the screen above, and drip. Most everything in the tent was damp anyway. They hadn't done anything but laze about after settling in, had finally fallen asleep and woke in darkness, the fire Elijah had wanted missed, dinner missed. They'd had to get dressed and venture out in a cold drizzle to find the bathrooms by flashlight. Then they'd come back and snuggled in and slept the rest of the night away. It felt good to get enough sleep for a change. But Sean had gotten all he needed.

Leaving Lijah wasn't an easy thing to do, but a desire to get out and have coffee and breakfast ready when he woke was too hard to resist. Sean went at it carefully, gently untangling himself from Elijah's embrace and tucking him well under the covers so he'd stay warm. It was chilly. Sean quickly put on the driest clothes he could find, the jeans and sweatshirt he'd pulled out of his bag last night, and clean socks. He stumbled into his sneakers at the door. The zipper made an outrageous noise, but Elijah only shifted a little and buried himself deeper in the sleeping bags. Sean silently stepped out, and left the door unzipped.

Morning broke with a gradual brightening of the cloud studded sky as Sean quietly rearranged the tossed and tumbled contents of the trunk to make it all easily accessible, and set out the stove at last on the end of the picnic table. He pumped it up and lit it. The instructions were right there stamped on the housing, smart. He started a pot of bottled water heating. The coffee was freeze-dried, but cream and sugar would mask the worst of that. Elijah wouldn't want cream though, just sugar, and plenty of it. Sean hoped he'd be all right with instant.

Grabbing his toothbrush and a towel, Sean trekked to the bathrooms. When he returned, the water was boiling, and he soon had a steaming cup of coffee at hand as he started a ham steak griddling. A pair of rangers drove slowly by in their dusty brown truck. Sean waved and called out a good morning to them. They nodded and smiled back. There was a rustling sound from the tent.

"Who was that?"

"Just the rangers on patrol."

"Rangers?"

Sean snickered. "Not those kind." He forked the ham onto a plate and broke a couple of eggs onto the skillet. "These rangers wear green uniforms and carry clipboards." There was no further sound from the tent. Sean went and peeked in. Elijah was still cocooned in the sleeping bags with only his dark hair showing, all poufed up in soft spikes. Sean quietly asked, "You want to sleep some more, baby?"

Elijah emerged a little. "Is it as cold out there as I think it is?"

Sean told him it wasn't bad. "You just need to move around. I'll make you breakfast. Ham and eggs?"

Elijah looked horrified. "Too early." He raised his head and sniffed. "The coffee smells good."

Sean told him, "Whenever you're ready," and went back to manning the stove.

When Elijah finally came out, he was bundled in a hooded sweatshirt, zipped to the chin with the hood up, and looking disgruntled. "I can't believe we have to go on a hike to pee."

Sean was sincerely sorry about that. "It isn't far, just down the lane a way and turn left at the first branch."

Elijah fumbled at his pockets, finally went to the car for a fresh pack of cloves, lit one up, then came and took a sip of Sean's coffee and cringed. "No cream, more sugar."

Sean gave him a sympathetic rub on the back. "I'll have it ready for you." He went tramping off down the lane, trailing smoke. Sean got out a mug for Elijah and mixed a heaping spoonful of coffee granules with several of sugar, to have ready. He got out a box of honey nut Cheerios, Lijah's most recent favorite, to set on the table with a bowl and a spoon. Then he settled to have the ham and eggs he'd cooked.

Elijah came strolling back some fifteen minutes later, looking more cheerful, and warmer, with his hood back and the sweatshirt hanging open. He came directly to the table and threw his arms around Sean's neck.

"Do you hate me first thing in the morning?"

Sean reached up to ruffle his hair. "How could I when you're so charming?" He started to get up, but Elijah pushed him back down.

"Sit. Relax. I can make my own coffee."

Sean told him his cup was there by the stove. "Just add water. And be careful."

Elijah mumbled something, but went ahead and made his coffee, then came and sat down on the bench, noticing the cereal. "Oooh, new box. Thanks, Seanie."

Sean gave him a loving smile. "I aim to please."

Elijah darted him a lascivious kind of look. "And you do." He popped the box top and ripped open the bag. Cheerios went everywhere. "Damn!"

Sean calmly finished his coffee. "It's all right. I brought you two boxes, just in case you get extra hungry." Elijah giggled, and poured out a bowl full, already popping them dry. Sean pushed himself up from the bench. "You need milk."

"You brought milk, cool."

Sean went to the car and pulled the carton of milk from the bottom of the cooler where it was good and cold. They'd need to get more ice, though it was holding up pretty well. He ducked into the back seat to dig out his new hiking boots, and Lijah's present, then returned to the picnic table to find Elijah tossing Cheerios to the birds squawking at the edge of the trees. Sean put down the milk and Elijah's wrapped and ribboned box, then settled on the bench to take off his sneakers and put on the new boots.

Elijah watched him. "Those are some serious shoes."

Sean explained that they were specifically made for hiking, the best quality workmanship, guaranteed not to need breaking in. He nudged the package nearer to Elijah. "Happy Happy."

"My birthday was months ago, Sean."

"Call it an anniversary present then."

"Which one?"

Sean shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Something momentous surely happened on this day." Early May in New Zealand, 2000, whole new worlds opening up to them, endless nights filled with fear and longing. "Got it. The first time we got naked under the stars." It was possible.

Elijah only smiled, and proceeded to rip open the package. A couple pair of thick, heavy socks, and new hiking boots, surprise, just like Sean's. Elijah faked a mighty whine. "Seaaan, we'll look like twins!" He was laughing though. "Damn, they're heavy, huh? And high tops."

"They'll protect your ankles."

Elijah looked into his eyes, amused. "It's good of you to think of my ankles."

Sean gazed at him back, in a very happy place. "I love your ankles. And all your other parts too."

Elijah leaned over and kissed him a sweet peck on the lips, then set the boots aside to pour milk on his cereal, which overflowed the bowl of course. He scooped it off the table and threw it toward the woods, and several jays came swooping down to snatch it up.

Sean took the milk back to the cooler, then set himself to washing the dishes. "You know, that's probably not very good for them."

Elijah looked at him. "I eat the stuff."

"Well, it's really not good for you either. But for you, it's a conscious choice. Then again, I'm sure they're used to feeding on crumbs of things they shouldn't, living in a campground."

Elijah watched the birds thoughtfully. "Birds eat seeds and stuff, right? We'll get them some."

Sean smiled at him, "Sure, babe."

Elijah dug into his Cheerios like he was extra hungry. "We have to go running around anyway, right?"

They should. "We ought to try getting the tent dried out inside. Shake out the sand and take everything to a laundromat. There must be one around here somewhere. And we'll need to get ice for the cooler."

A hazy sunlight broke over the tops of the trees and it got downright warm. Elijah shrugged out of his hoodie and tossed it across the table. He finished his cereal and had to add a bit more to use up the leftover milk, spooning it in with a distant expression.

Sean almost asked him how the new film was going, but that was against the rules they'd set. No talking business. No phones or computers. No music, except in the car. Elijah had made that offer himself after Sean went on about looking forward to the peace and quiet. Sean knew it was a sacrifice and appreciated it more than he could say. But there was music in nature, of a kind they didn't get to experience very often. Sean was sure Lijah would appreciate it if he listened. And he did seem to be listening.

They took their time, had another cup of coffee while Elijah had another smoke, while Sean finished cleaning up and put away the stove. Elijah finally put on his hiking boots and went off to the bathrooms again to brush his teeth. Sean cleaned out the tent, tying clothes and towels into bundles, some to be washed, some only needing to be dried. He stuffed the sleeping bags loose into the back of the car, after shaking them out thoroughly. The foam pads, he leaned against the inside walls of the tent to dry out. The floor was scattered with sand but it was already mostly dry. It could have been a whole lot worse. He closed up the windows, in case there happened to be driving rain while they weren't there.

Elijah returned and said the boots felt great. Sean was more than pleased. Lijah flipped through his CDs as soon as they were in the car, and kindly picked something they both liked. Sean drove, out of the campground over narrow, packed sand roads, to the park entrance at last.

"Which way, do you think?"

Elijah gave him an incredulous look. "What? You haven't planned this?"

Sean took down his sunglasses and put them on. "We're living on the edge, babe. Going where the road takes us. You pick."

"All right," said Elijah. "Left."

Sean pulled out onto the road headed north. It was touristy in a clustered area outside the park, but most of that fell away as they drove. Elijah got out his camera, rolled down the window, and took pictures of the countryside, which was nice, woodsy and green with springtime. They took the first lesser road going east and soon came to a small town where there was a do-it-yourself laundry.

They had to break several dollars into quarters, and buy overpriced single serve washing products from the young woman in attendance, who stared at them discreetly but didn't seem able to put names to their faces. They dragged everything in and started several machines working, then went out to wander around the town a bit.

There were streets of nice little houses, with tulip gardens and yellow flowered bushes lining modest yards. There were two churches, a tiny post office, a pub and grille, and a market. They went into the market to get ice for the cooler, and stocked up on drinks while they were at it, and chocolate. Elijah needed chocolate. After switching the laundry that was washing to a dryer and packing the stuff that was dry back into the car, they wandered through an antiques/craft shop so Elijah could get something for his Mom, and found a collection of plush birds with voice boxes that played their songs when when you pressed on their breasts.

Elijah decided Hannah needed a blue jay, and Sean picked out three of them for the girls. They were probably making a nuisance of themselves, handling all the birds and listening to their songs. The woman in attendance came over with a big smile and asked if she could help them. Lijah turned a charming smile on her and asked her if she knew anything about wild birds and what to feed them. She did, and helpfully advised them on what they needed to get, with a few tips into the bargain.

"If you want catbirds, lay an apple half on the ground near cover, cut side up. You might get migrating orioles too. And the cardinals appreciate a selection of big striped sunflower seeds this time of year, for courting gifts."

Elijah was hooked. "That is so cool."

Sean got directions to the nearest place that had wild bird food, and thanked the woman kindly. He was fairly certain she knew who they were, but they paid for their purchases with cash and she didn't say anything, just smiled and wished them good luck with their bird watching.

They were finished with the laundry and back on the road by eleven, headed in a general way back toward the park. Three miles on down the main road was the garden center they'd been directed to. They stocked up on various seed mixes and then stopped at a roadside fruit stand on the way back for apples. It was near enough noon by then to think about lunch. By reasonable consensus, they stopped at a place called Joe's Catfish and Barbecue Palace. It was no palace, but the pulled pork sandwiches and homemade coleslaw were better than good, and no one seemed to recognize them, or if they did, didn't care.

Just inside the park, they bought a few bundles of firewood off the back of a pick-up truck so Elijah could have his campfire, but it was beginning to rain by the time they got back to their site. They took their clean bedding into the tent and settled there where it was dry, to peruse the brochures Sean had brought and listen to the gentle pitter-patter.

"It won't last long," Sean announced with more hope than confidence.

Elijah gave him a sidelong, smiling glance. "It doesn't matter. This is good."

It was all good. Sean stretched out face down on top of the sleeping bags and joined Elijah in looking over the park brochure he had spread open on the tent floor.

"The beach looks cool," Elijah said. "I'd like to walk on the beach."

Walking on a hopefully deserted beach with Elijah sounded to Sean like just the thing. "Is there a map of the trails?" Elijah turned over the brochure and there was, complete with elevation markings since the land was all up and down here. Sean located the campground they were in and touched a finger to it. "We're here, so we should be able to take one of these trails all the way to the beach."

Elijah gnawed his lip. "How far is all the way?"

Sean checked the legend and measured it out with his thumb. "No more than a couple of miles, there and back. We can do it."

Elijah deadpanned, "You can carry me if it's too hard."

Sean breathed a weary sigh. "I can't carry It, but I can carry You."

Elijah rolled to his back and patted his shoulder. Sean laid down his head on it, snuggling close, and Elijah stroked his hair. "We can do it."

Well loved, and well fed, Sean could have happily dozed off for an hour or two. They'd opened the windows enough to let in a gentle breeze and it was too comfortable to move, lying there with Elijah for a pillow. But Elijah was awake. He'd brought Hannah's blue jay into the tent and was using it to converse with the real ones outside, so it seemed. It squawked and they squawked back. Elijah giggled and Sean lazily smiled to himself, on the verge of drifting off, Elijah's hand soothingly roving over his back and shoulder.

"The rain's stopped."

Reluctantly, Sean lifted his head, listening. It was still dripping from the trees, but close enough. Elijah said they could wait a long time for a sunny blue sky and end up missing all the fun they'd come for, and Sean knew he was right. Besides, Elijah was itching to break out the birdseed.

It was wet and dripping outside the tent, but dry enough out from under the trees. The sandy ground soaked up the rain and there wasn't a puddle to be seen. The woods were deep, vivid green in the hazy overcast, and there was a chipmunk scurrying around under the picnic table, gathering the Cheerios that had slipped through the cracks. Elijah threw a handful of seed under there for it and it scurried off to the edge of the wood, where it sat on its haunches watching them. It dashed back in when they moved away, for the Cheerios.

The jays were all around, not quite visible but making a racket. Elijah scattered birdseed and peanuts and shelled corn under the trees, and found a more secluded spot for a couple of apple halves, then stood back with his camera. Nothing happened. One bird finally fluttered down to snatch a seed, then flew back into a tree. "I think they'd rather have Cheerios."

Sean suggested he give it time and while he had a smoke and took pictures of the campsite for posterity, Sean got out the small pack that had come with the gear and stuffed it full of bottled water, and the first aid kit. He hoisted the pack to his back. No problem. He went and spread out the map on the picnic table. "Would you rather walk farther or climb more?"

Elijah came over to have a look, and picked for them. "Let's go that way," sliding his fingertip along a particularly hilly trail. "Then we can walk down the beach and come back this way."

Sean resisted commenting on the difficult terrain, perfectly satisfied to do whatever he wanted. They found the trail marked with a sign just around the bend from their campsite, and struck out into the woods, or forest more aptly. Giant old trees towered over a sparse but varied undergrowth, up and down the spines of old dunes that had taken root. The big oaks weren't fully leafed out yet, so the soft light streamed through here and there. In sheltered places just off the path, they found ferns and patches of moss, and wine red flower petals crowning mottled green leaves, three of each. Sean wished he'd thought to bring nature guides, but Elijah was happy just to take their pictures.

It wasn't an easy walk but they took their time, stopping frequently to admire the scenery or just listen to the sounds of nature all around. And the weather smiled on them, the sun slipping out from behind the clouds as the trail led them down out of the wood at last to the beach. A cool breeze gusted off the water but in the sunshine it felt great. They stopped up from the surf below a stand of tall grasses to sit in the sand and rest their legs. Sean gratefully shed the pack he was carrying, and got out a fresh bottle of water to share with Elijah, who was gazing out at the far away, misty horizon.

"That's a big lake."

Sean nodded. "It's a great lake, Michigan. Chicago is… out there somewhere. Milwaukee and Green Bay too."

Elijah gave him a wry smile. "I actually knew that."

Sean leaned over and bussed him on the cheek. "I knew you did."

They sat there together for a long while just breathing it in, the calm and the quiet, the sound of the waves lapping the shore muffled to a distant whisper. Elijah tucked up his knees and hugged them. "It kind of feels like time has stopped."

If only it could. Sean slid an arm around Elijah and drew him close for a hug. "For these few days, we can pretend."

There was no rush to be anywhere so they lingered there doing nothing, until the sun slipped behind the clouds again and the breeze grew chill, and they finally moved on. They walked out along the tide wash where the sand was damp and firm, and had to dodge the higher waves when they tumbled in. The temptation was strong to go barefoot. But that time of year, the water was icy cold. The new boots were heavier than they'd seemed at first, but they were warm.

The sun peeked out a few more times as it slowly sank into the mist over the lake and then was seen no more, leaving a dull haze over the landscape and a dampness in the air. It was still heaven walking with Elijah on the beach all alone together, with Elijah relaxed and enjoying himself. They picked up a few shells and polished stones, and followed a small wading bird for a long while as it ran along the sand ahead of them and then stopped, waiting until they were almost there before running on again.

When at last they reached the main beach it was deserted as well, the concession stand closed up and locked down. But a whole flock of gulls stood in the empty parking lot, all facing west as if in Zen-like contemplation of the sun going down out there behind the clouds. Elijah took pictures of the solemn gathering from various angles, until it began to feel creepy when the birds went on standing there undisturbed. They finally skirted wide and kept going.

The return trail Elijah had chosen took them up the front of a high dune from the main beach. It was more a massive slide of loose sand than a trail, but it was the shortest route back to the campground and they took it, both of them huffing and puffing before they were nearly up. Sean took Elijah's hand to drag him along when he began to lag behind. Though it hardly felt like it, they were making progress, so he dug in and plowed on. They reached the top at last, where the sand was more settled and stable, and collapsed in a heap.

The view was stunning, once they'd caught their breath enough to notice. The sky was immense and roiling with soft gray clouds, not so much threatening as spooky, with a heavy fog rolling in off the lake. The gulls suddenly rose and took flight, circling and wheeling away, finally fading into the mist to disappear. It was looking like rain again, for sure. Sean hauled himself to his feet, offering Elijah a hand up, and they turned from the lake.

Scrubby, stunted trees and low brush had taken hold along the crest of the dune and beyond, inland, the forest held sway. They went on, following the path of clear sand toward a break in the cover, and found that the backside dropped off abruptly into the woods below in a steep trough of slippy, slidey sand. This was apparently the trail. They looked at each other, and sat down to think about it.

"It has to be easier going down than up." Elijah peered over the drop.

"But it's almost straight down." Someone could get hurt, Sean was sure.

"But if this is a marked trail, people must do it all the time."

Sean said people did crazy things sometimes. But there really wasn't much choice, the alternative being to retrace their steps and take a different way. And they'd come too far for that.

Elijah raised his camera and took a picture, then put on a determined face and got to his feet. "Come on, Irish, we can do this." Before Sean could stop him, he just stepped off and strode into the flow of the sand, five feet to every step, like he knew just what he was doing, until he was maybe halfway down and lost his balance. He tumbled and rolled but came up on his knees at last with arms raised in victory. Sean let out the breath he was holding.

"Come on, wussy, it's great!"

Sean called back. "Wussy, is it? You just move out of the way." He gripped the straps of the pack on his back and stepped over the side. It was sort of great, except for the crashing part. He made it quite a bit farther than Elijah, but went down more spectacularly as well, missing several low hanging branches by a whisker and ending up with his face planted in a drift. He sat up still sliding, to find Elijah anxiously coming after him. Sean spit out a mouthful of sand. "Careful, baby."

Elijah threw an arm around his neck and they slid a few feet further. "I'm sorry, Seanie. You're not hurt?" Sean said he was fine, though it was debatable. Elijah brushed sand out of his hair and off his face, and kissed and hugged him. "Bet you've got sand in your shorts now, huh? I do"

Sand in his shorts and everywhere else, it felt like, but Sean was inclined to think it was worth it, lying there looking into Lijah's pretty eyes. He even managed to laugh. "Communal shower."

Elijah grinned. "Oh yeah."

They picked themselves up and managed to make it the rest of the way down without incident, going slower and sliding on their butts when it was called for. At the bottom of the fall, the trail picked up and took them through the wood to the campground, neat as you please, except that they were both dragging by then. They made it to their site at last and both sank down at the picnic table like it might be the last step they took that day. Elijah leaned up against Sean, and Sean wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"So, that was fun."

Elijah giggled and hugged him back.

The expected rain didn't come, but the sky grew darker, the shadows deepening under the trees. The air felt damp and clammy. Sean thought about getting up and seeing to Elijah's promised campfire, but couldn't seem to summon the energy. Elijah made the first move, wriggling around to peer under the table. "Look!"

The seed was gone, all of it. Elijah got up to put out more, apparently catching a second wind. Sean forced himself up to open the car, to get towels and clean clothes for them. When he came back, Lijah was having a smoke and emptying his jacket pockets, laying out his found treasures on the end of the table. Sean knew for a fact he'd want to take them with him to stash away somewhere out of sight, so he could find them later and be surprised and remember.

Sean stepped up behind him and pressed a tender kiss to the side of his neck. "Love you, baby. Even with sand in your shorts."

Elijah snorted. "You are such a sweet talker."

Sean handed him the shampoo bag. "Let's go get clean."

They took their time, feeling tired and achy. Thankfully, it wasn't too far. The bathhouse was old but obviously built to last, brick on the outside and brick on the inside. Though countless coats of shiny green paint had smoothed the walls of the shower stalls, they were still rough and cold, and even the largest stall was a cozy fit for two. They managed it anyway, washed the grit out of each other's hair and got clean, then stood there just holding onto each other in the meager, lukewarm spray.

Breathing each other.

"My Lijah, my love, you're the brightest star in my sky. You're the light that feeds me and the energy that drives me. My girls are my earth and you're my air."

Elijah clung a little tighter, murmuring against his shoulder. "Isn't that a song?"

Sean softly whispered at his ear, "You are the wind beneath my wings."

Elijah snickered and then sighed. "I don't want to go back."

Sean gently rubbed his wet slicked arm. "Not yet. We don't have to think about it yet."

The shower shut off, no doubt figuring they'd had enough time. Without it, there was a real nip in the air. Elijah announced he was hungry. They quickly dried and shivered into clean clothes, then gathered up the sandy ones they'd shed and the wet towels, and headed back, feeling better.

Night was falling early, the daylight fading into dusk. There was a flash of deep crimson red in the trees as they walked into their camp, a cardinal. Elijah went immediately to see that there was still seed, though Sean didn't think the birds would be feeding after dark. He went to get the things he'd need to get a fire started, and Elijah joined him to help get out the food, chips and hot dog buns and marshmallows. Sean slapped his forehead. "I forgot to look for sticks to sharpen."

Elijah pulled out the long, wooden-handled toasting forks he'd just found. "Funny." He tore open the marshmallows and started popping them raw. "Is all this stuff we've been eating on your diet, Sean?"

Sean found the matches and slipped them into his pocket. "It's not a diet, Lij, it's a lifestyle. And this is my vacation from it."

Elijah, apparently thinking he sounded defensive, wrapped around him and gave him a squeeze. "It doesn't matter to me, Irish. I love you any way you want to be." As Sean perfectly well knew.

Mercifully, the fire cooperated in spite of the damp, and they soon had a cheery blaze going. Sean brought the sleeping pads from the tent to cushion the bench and the edge of the table, so they could sit with their backs to it and be comfortable, the fire at their toes. It would have been smart to wait for coals, but Elijah was hungry. The hot dogs ended up charred and shriveled, but they tasted great. Everything did, even the toasted marshmallows, which Sean would normally have just as soon skipped. It was a sticky mess, but that resulted in a lot of giggling and licking of each other's fingers.

They finally settled all cozy and watched the fire consume a couple more logs. The darkness all around was alive with nature's symphony, thousands of bugs and frogs and whatever else might be out there, all singing their different songs. Elijah wondered what they were all talking about. Sean suggested, "Sex." He shrugged. "Or food. One thing leads to another."

Elijah nuzzled his cold nose up against Sean's ear and softly murmured, "And another, and another."

With a shiver, Sean turned his head to catch a kiss from those lips. There was a faint rumble of distant thunder and a gust of wind in the treetops, and a few raindrops fell. The fire was burning down. Looking at each other in the fading light, smiling, they wordlessly agreed to take refuge in the tent.

They put their bed back together in the dark and then sank down there in a long, warm, comfy embrace. The rain came down and some tiny creature started peeping excitedly just beyond the tent wall, reveling in it. Sean could feel Lijah's heart beating against his. It felt so good just lying there together.

Elijah's warm breath touched his cheek, a gentle whisper. "I love this, Sean. Having you to hug whenever I want."

Sean understood that perfectly. "Having you in my arms when I wake up."

Elijah's breathing grew even and quiet. He was asleep. In complete happiness, Sean drifted after.


End file.
